Blade and leveling apparatus for road machines



G. P. GREEN May 15, 1956 BLADE AND LEVELING APPARATUS FOR ROAD MACHINES Filed March 24, 1952 George R Green INVENTOR ATTORNEY United rates Patent BLADE AND LEVELING APPARATUS FOR ROAD MACHINES George P. Green, Lubbock, Tex.

Application March 24, 1952, Serial No. 278,250

4 Claims. (CI. 94-44) This invention relates to an improvement in road machines, and the principal object is to provide a machine of this class which may be advantageously applied in construction operation relative to road subgrades, base courses, surface courses and other work of similar nature such as terracing, leveling, compacting and miscellaneous construction of this nature. These and other objects are hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that construction deviations may be made so long as they fall within the scope of the claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 580,882, now Patent No. 2,601,277.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the right side of the machine, and

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, through blade assembly taken along line 22, Figure 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In general, the machine comprises a horizontal frame provided with supporting wheels at each end, to travel along a strip of work, with the roadworking structure spanned transversely thereto; and a carriage frame roller mounted on the structure and supporting certain members such as a mixer, blades and rollers adapted to perform a sequence of road construction operations as the carriage is propelled back and forth across the work. The travel rate of the entire machine along the strip of work is coordinated with the carriage travel, so that the operations lap to produce a uniformly worked section, all of which structure is illustrated and described fully in my Patents Nos. 2,601,277, 2,718,830 and 2,718,831 and in my copending application Serial No. 288,478, filed May 17, 1952. The invention hereindescribed and claimed pertains to the blade and leveling apparatus of my road machine.

The structure which spans the work comprises two 1 beams 1 and 2, Figure 1, which are hinged at the middle on hinges 3. The I beams are spaced and secured horizontally and are pivoted about hinges 3 by means of a shaft 5 with eccentric portions connecting integral truss portions 6 of the beams through suitable links. A crank 8 with a worm gear cooperates with gear 9 which is adapted to rotate shaft 5 and thus enable adjustment of the angle at which beams 1 and 2 meet at hinges 3. This is for the purpose of predetermining the crown of the road section under construction or repair.

The span structure is detachably fixed to girders 10, and braces 15 by bolts (not shown) passing through holes in the contacting flanges of the members, the bolt holes being arranged along the I beams to permit fixing the girders 10 at optional positions to thus adapt the wheel tread to various widths, as well as to facilitate knockdown for transportation. Girders 10 are supported by a wheel arrangement on each end adapted to support the entire machine.

The rear wheels 11 are relatively wide for bearing and ice traction purposes. Axle 12 for wheel 11 is rotatably mounted in bearings 13 onframe members 14, Fig. 1, which are fixed to girders 10. Braces 1'5 connect frame members 14 to beam 2 and are fixed .to girders 10 by means of webs, not shown. A sprocket 17, Fig. 1, is fixed to each wheel 11 and cooperates with chain 18 to which power is transmitted to propel the machine. Pneumatic front wheels 19 are rotatably fixed to respective forks 20 from which a piston 21 extends into a cooperating hydraulic cylinder 22.

The carriage which supports the various road operation performing members comprises a frame consisting of main'members 25, Fig. 1. The carriage frame is pivotally fixed to an intermediate frame by pin 32 (Fig. l).

The blade member comprises two blade assemblies pivotally supported in opposed relation as illustrated. Each blade assembly includes a mold board 234 with afiixed bits 235 which is pivotally supported by shaft 236 upon bearings 237 (Fig. 2) secured to side plates 238 and 239 provided with stiieners 249 secured by bolts 241. Side plates 238 and 239 for the purpose of retaining material on the mold boards 234 are fixed to frame members 242 and 243 (Fig. 2) which are provided with stop screws 245 adapted to limit the pivot arc and angle of the blade assemblies by contact with parts 246. Fixed to the end of frame members 247 (Fig. 2) are lugs 248 threaded for cooperation with vertical adjustment scre 's 249. Guide members 2513 fixed to frame members 242, 243, and 248 extend vertically and slida'bly through guides 251 fixed to carriage members 25. Screws 249 are rotat ably supported on the carriage frame 25 by screw housings 252 and brackets 253.

It will be apparent that by adjustment of the screws 249 the elevation of the whole blade member can be set as desired for a particular operation. The pivotal movements of the two blade assemblies in either direction can be limited to any desired degree by adjustment of the stop screw 245. The blade assemblies may even be held rigid by the stop screws if desired. The blade assemblies may also be so adjusted that each will be made to cut and move material in one direction only, each blade assembly pivoting about its shaft 236 out of cutting position when it is moved in the opposite direction. The blade assemblies may also be set to carry material between them, the leading blade assembly being allowed to pivot to allow material to pass beneath it while the trailing blade assembly is held in a position to move such material in front of it. For example, if the blade assembly moves to the right, Figure 2, the stop screws 245 of the leading blade 234 are so adjusted that the blade may pivot in a clockwise direction about its shaft 236 over material it passes while the clockwise pivotal movement of the rearward blade is prevented by means of its stop screws so that the rearward blade cannot pivot upwardly to pass over material positioned in its path of movement. As a result, the material is pushed forwardly in front of the rear blade, and bet-ween the side plates 23% and 23?.

When the bladin or levelmg operation is carried on simultaneously with travel of the machine, the blade me...- ber is adjusted to a position at right angles to the path of travel by adjusting the carriage frame about the pin 32. This result can also be accomplished by setting the blade member at the proper angle on the frame support, thus obviating the need of pivoting the carriage frame about the pin 32 (Fig. 1).

The blade assemblies are set at proper elevations and pitch angles by means previously described so that an appreciably quantity of material is carried back and forth across the Work between the two blade assemblies. leading blade assembly revolves to the extent that the material does not accumulate in front of it, but accumulates in front of the trailing blade assembly. This evenly The.

distributes the material and compacts it to an extent, depending on the quantity of material shifted between the blade assemblies. The blade assemblies may be set to shove the surplus material to the edges, one blade assembly shoving part of it to one side and the other blade assembly shoving the balance to the other side, or both blade assemblies may be set to shove it to the same side.

The above description and drawings are merely an illustration of my invention in one of many possible forms of application, and the scope of protection contemplated is to be taken from the appended claims interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

What is claimed is: f r I 1. A machine of the type described comprising a wheel supported frame structure, a trackway supported by said of spaced blade assemblies individually pivotally mounted for independent limited movement about horizontal axes parallel to said trackway, each of'said blade assemblies having a pair of oppositely facing mold boards, said blade member having stop members for limiting movement of each blade assembly.

2. A machine of the type described comprising a wheel supported frame structure; a trackway supported by said frame structure transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof; a carriage supported on said trackway for back andv forth movement; power means mounted on said frame structure to propel the machine; means operated by said power means to actuate the carriage back and forth on said trackway at a predetermined rate of travel relative to the rate of movement of the machine; a blade member a supported by said carriage for cutting and leveling material, saidblade member comprising a pair of spaced blade assemblies individually pivotally mounted for independent limited movement about horizontal axes disposed parallel to said trackway, and adjustable stop means on a said blade member for limiting pivotal movement of each of said blade assemblies in either direction.

3. A machine of the type described comprising a wheel supported frame structure; a trackway supported by said frame structure transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof; a carriage supported on said trackway for back and forth movement; power means mounted on said frame structure to propel the machine; means operated by said power means to actuate the carriage back and forth on said trackway at a predetermined rate of travel relative to the rate of movement of the machine; and a blade member supported by said carriage for cutting and leveling material, said blade member comprising a pair of spaced vertical side members, a pair of spaced blade assemblies disposed between the side members and indisaid trackway at a predetermined rate of travel relative to the rate of movement of the machine; a blade member supported by said carriage for cutting and leveling material, said blade member comprising a pair of spaced vertical side members, and a pair of spaced blade assemblies disposedbetween the side members and pivotally mounted for independent limited movement about horizontal axes parallel to said trackway, and adjustable stop means for engaging said blade assemblies for limiting pivotal movement of each of said blade assemblies in either direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V V 'Parkes July 6, 1937 2,314,358 Lewis a Mar. 23, 1943 2,334,717 Long Nov. 23, 1943 2,433,019 Arps Dec. 23, 1947 2,438,159 Faber Mar. 23, 1948 

